Expression of CR2 (the C3dg/EBV receptor, CD21) on normal human peripheral blood T lymphocytes

The expression of CR2 (the C3dg/EBV receptor, CD21) on normal human T lymphocytes was investigated using purified peripheral blood T cells and indirect immunofluorescence with biotinylated anti-CR2 mAb and streptavidin-phycoerythrin. Thirty to 40% of normal peripheral blood T lymphocytes expressed CR2 Ag. The cells expressed three nonoverlapping epitopes of CR2. The specificity of the staining for CR2 epitopes was demonstrated by the ability of unlabeled anti-CR2 mAb but not of anti-CR1 mAb of the same isotype to compete for the binding of biotinylated anti-CR2 mAb to T cells. The intensity of staining of T lymphocytes with anti-CR2 mAb was approximately 10-fold lower than that of peripheral blood B cells. CR2 was immunoprecipitated from purified T lymphocytes as a single protein of apparent Mr 145,000. The presence of CR2 on normal human T lymphocytes suggests that the receptor may modulate the function of T cells in the immune response and the susceptibility of the cells to infection by lymphocytotropic viruses.